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"After dark one evening, a Jewish religious
leader named Nicodemus, a Pharisee, came to speak
with Jesus. "Teacher," he said, "we
all know that God has sent you to teach us. Your miraculous
signs are proof enough that God is with you."
Jesus replied, "I assure you, unless you are
born again, you can never see the Kingdom of God."
"What do you mean?" exclaimed Nicodemus.
"How can an old man go back into his mother's
womb and be born again?" Jesus replied, "The
truth is, no one can enter the Kingdom of God without
being born of water and the Spirit. Humans can reproduce
only human life, but the Holy Spirit gives new life
from heaven. So don't be surprised at my statement
that you must be born again. Just as you can hear
the wind but can't tell where it comes from or where
it is going, so you can't explain how people are born
of the Spirit." "What do you mean?"
Nicodemus asked. Jesus replied, "You are a respected
Jewish teacher, and yet you don't understand these
things? I assure you, I am telling you what we know
and have seen, and yet you won't believe us. But if
you don't even believe me when I tell you about things
that happen here on earth, how can you possibly believe
if I tell you what is going on in heaven? For only
I, the Son of Man, have come to earth and will return
to heaven again. And as Moses lifted up the bronze
snake on a pole in the wilderness, so I, the Son of
Man, must be lifted up on a pole, so that everyone
who believes in me will have eternal life."
— New Living Translation
What do you think?
- Ever tried to explain something to someone and
they just couldn’t get it? Give an example.
- How many different ways did you try to explain
yourself to them?
- Was the breakdown in understanding on your part
or theirs?
What does God think?
Wasn’t Jesus kind of abrupt with Nicodemus (v.
2-3)?
Why do you think Jesus didn’t say anything to
Nicodemus about the miraculous signs (vv. 2-3)?
Who is the source of this new life Jesus speaks of
(v. 6)?
As a "religious leader" and "respected
Jewish teacher" why didn’t Nicodemus understand
Jesus’ explanation of what it means to be born
again (v. 5-9)?
Does Jesus really mean that there is only one way
to get to heaven when He says "no one" in
v. 5?
How might Jesus’ explanation of being reborn
answer the question of reincarnation?
Since being born again happens at a non-physical,
non-material level, how can you know that it has happened
(HINT: Compare the born again experience with falling
in love)?
Based upon Jesus’ explanation in vv. 10-15,
what kind of response does He require of Nicodemus?
What is Jesus illustrating from the Old Testament
story (v. 14; see Numbers 21:6-9)?
What is the condition for gaining eternal life (v.
15)?
Now that you know these things . . .
- Just like Nicodemus, many people think that growing
up in a Christian family, going to a Christian church,
and learning Christian teachings makes them Christian.
This passages says NOT! Regardless of your background,
family, education, or whatever, YOU must be born
again. Are you confident that God has given you
new life?
- When did you have a born again experience?
- Explain how your born again experience has changed
your life.
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